Army Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda
Death: Jan 02, 2004
of Texas; assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion 3rd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) based in Fort Carson Colo.; killed in action when his command post when it came under mortar attack on Jan. 2 in Balad Iraq. Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda had a busy life ahead of him. There was a wedding to plan a master’s degree to earn and a teaching position to pursue. “He was very excited. He’d be a wonderful teacher; he had a very commanding presence” said his mother Mary Paliwoda. Paliwoda28 of Goodyear Ariz. was killed Jan. 2 when his command post came under a mortar attack in Balad about 50 miles northwest of Baghdad. An engineer he was based at Fort Carson Colo. Paliwoda and his fiancee Wendy Rosen were planning a June wedding said his father Alfred Paliwoda. He also wanted to earn a master’s degree and teach at his alma mater West Point said his mother. Paliwoda grew up in Farmington Conn. and was a standout basketball player in high school. Many universities sought the 6-foot-7 player and he chose the prestigious military college Mary Paliwoda said. “Originally he did go there to play basketball. But he was always willing to devote himself for our country” she said. — Associated Press